Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1887-06-24
iNHoSPlTABLE LIBERIA.
a Discouraging Picture of Life ~,
the African Coast

A+tuTt OF Life mn
the African Coast
" haiph W. Perry, whose recent re,n,n
from Liberia has been noted, ia still bls.chaa
US Inc result Of his long wrestle with Af-,c,
" COAST lever, but he is gradually recoverin,
. n'' 'ofnier Vigor, and he proposes to begin
'no praclice oil medicine In this city. He had
rich and varied experience on tho Afr,oan
coast and not even the ambition tn sav.
heather from endless torment vvtl, ,v,r -.
na.A ne went oat In the employ OF the
episcopal mission board, to be in cbaroe If
.ne hospital, and Of the two who accomoanied
MIN one died with coast fever within tbr.o
weeks after arrival while the other was dr,v
Gu insane from similar cause. Nonrov;s "a
'ne capllai OF Liberia, being named In honor
Vi PRESIDENT Monroe Of this country, and II is
town Oh about 8 600 people, of which number
eleven are white and the remainder of mired
blood, but largely native. The business Of
tue Town is In the hands Of less than hun
area persons and the remainder of its popula-
tion lives of them. Common labor ia noorlv
remunerated. There is no plantation work save
In the e-picking season, and the NEGROES
who were imported from the south some vears
ago lead shiftless and forlorn lives. not
Ihucn improved upon the native black.
ihere is no money, and In payment of what
ever labor there is to do the laborer is com
PEELED to take out the price in whatever "a of.
iered MN. Flour, costing 81 barrel in
New YORK, retais at sl5 per barrel; muslin
OF ordinary quality % cents per yard: milk
the same price per pint, and small plpts at
that; and everything else In proportion. The
steamship interests are controlled by Belgium
and German firms and the agents that are
| sent to Liberia to look after their commercial
AFFAIRS are under contract to remain three
years; but few last that long. No white
man escapes an attack of African fever. II
| seized Perry after he had been there but
short time, but thanks to a sturdy constitution
be was able TO fight off the first attack, and
second and third, but /; kept returning every
month or two, until it finally wore him out.
Its symptoms are very much like the ordinary
yellow fever Of the south, but unlike the yellow
fever, the fact that man has it once is nc
guarantee that he is not liable to continued
attacks Of it. The mission at Monrovia is in
charge of the Rev. Mr. Ferguson, who is not
only missionary but also the bishop, and lie
has some twenty assistants. who are stationed
at Monroyia and other points. The mission
was established in 1892, and 1t is maintained
at about yearly cost of so, 900, and DR.. Per
ry doubts if the conversion to date exceeds
800 1t is not pleasant country in which tc
live, even for a native, and a white man
migrating to its inhospitable shore, although
the doctor didn't say this in as many words,
might as well leave all hopes behind
Bishop Ferguson is coored man, and this
accounts for his touacity Of life. There arc
two seasons Of the year, dry and wet, but
Perry failed TO note much difference between
the wet and dry season, unless it was that in
the wet season it raned day and night,
while in the dry it only rained at night The
wet season is the healthie3t, because 1t is the
coolest and the temperature during the day
ranges from 61o to 1909. Only once during
his stay of ten mouths however, did it DROP
to coo, and then it felt cold enough TO don
fiannels and overcoats The trip going and
coming from New York is made BY sailing
vessels and usually occupies forty-fve days
each ay.-MdianIpolis NsiCS.